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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 0811.PDF
FLIGHT, 17 June 1960 819 In these four pictures, reading downwards, are a typical line-up at the launching point; the two Sreguet 905 Fauvettes in the Standard Class line- up; the Phb'nix (Haase, Germany); and Makula's (Poland) Zefir sailors shouted what might have been "Ahoy! Glider abaft thePepsi-Cola van" in German, and the reputation of Polish gliding skimmed across the line in the shape of the two Zefirs flown byMakula and Popiel. Whether or not they had made the fastest time—which in fact they had—the day was psychologically theirs.The Zefir was the new symbol of ultra-high-performance soaring. Conditions had well suited the Poles, with cloudbase up to2,000m over pan of the route. Makula told me later that the Zefir's average "cruising" speed between thermals was 160-170km/hr—i.e., 100-105 m.p.h.—compared with about 70 m.p.h. for the British Olympia 419 and Skylark 3. Best gliding angle was 1 in 34 at95km/hr (58.5 m.p.h.). Third aircraft to arrive was the Standard Austria flown byJohann Fritz (logically enough representing Austria in the standard class), one of two examples of this new type at Butzweiler.The amazing point of this performance was that Fritz's time was not only the best in his own class, it was faster than that of anyopen-class pilots other than the two Poles. We looked at the all- white, vee-tailed newcomer with a new respect as it circled andlanded. Only three pilots in each class failed to complete the course,among whom were two surprises : Dick Johnson in the new RHJ-6 who was forced to land about halfway along the return leg; andMrak in the all-metal Meteor, who failed to achieve the minimum scoring distance of 20km from Butzweiler.Times, speeds and points for the leaders after today's flying were as follows: —Open Class: 1, Makula, Poland, 2hr 18min, 75km/hr, l,000pts. 2, Popiel, Poland, 2hr 18min, 75km/hr, 1,000.3, Schrcder, USA, 2hr 2$>imin, 69.1km/hr, 932.9. 4, Hossinger, Argentine, 2hr 36min, 66.2km/hr, 899.7.5, Deane-Drummond, Britain, 2hr 40min, 64.6km/hr, 885.8. Nicholas Goodhart was eighth with 2hr 47min, 61.8km/hr and850.5 points. Standard Class: 1, Fritz, Austria, 2hr 21min, 73.4km/hr, l,000pts.2, Witek, Poland, 2hr 28min, 69.9km/hr, 956.9. 3, Juez, Spain, 2hr 47imin, 61.8km/hr, 855.4, Resch, Austria, 2hr 52min, 60.2 km/hr, 835.4. 5, Huth, Germany, 2hr 52imin, 60km/hr, 832.9.Anthony Goodhart was tenth with 3hr 12min, 53.8km/hr and 755.6 points.The task on Sunday, June 5 was declared to be a 100km triangular race to the south and west with turning points atDroverheide and Morenhoven. At the briefing Dr Frowein announced that approval had been given for free-distance flightsto cross the Swiss border when appropriate; a Belgian pilot com- plained of an "air pirate" who, the previous day, had insistedon circling in the wrong direction after joining other people's thermals; and the met-man declared that the high-pressure areahad disappeared and the air mass had become unstable. Erom the thunderstorm activity, experienced at Butzweiler dur-ing the afternoon this was an understatement, but the medium- height layer-cloud which blanketed much of the area forced allpilots to land either back at Butzweiler or before reaching the turning point, and as the minimum specified performance (two pilots reaching 50km) was not achieved in either class the day wasdeclared a "no contest" day and no points were awarded. As a matter of incidental if academic interest, the farthestdistances were achieved by the open-class Poles and the standard- class Austrians, as if to reinforce their first-day success. Theylanded within three kilometres of Droverheide, while Pelly Persson of Sweden actually walked to the turning point—but after a nine-kilometre car drive. It was at the morning briefing on Monday, June 6 that thetricky problem of the legality of cloud flying was aired for the first time at the championships. The task set was distance along a linepassing through Kiel (Holtenau Airfield), a true course of 031°. The British trio: left to right, Anthony Goodhart (Standard Class). Anthony Deane-Drummond and Nicholas Goodhart (Open Class)
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